Earlier this month, I published a posting describing how I tried to instill in art students the idea that art history is not linear, and that the totality of art is a never-ending circle of inspiration. Then I showed paired examples that crossed time and cultures, which can be found here.
I couldn't help adding a few more, as I will continue to do.
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| Marcantonio Raimondi, 1520 | Edouard Manet, 1863 |
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| Eskimo seal-hunting stool, 1850s* | Magis Gallery coffee table, 2011 |
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| Leonardo da Vinci, 1509 | Buckminster Fuller, 1967* |
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| Lascaux cave painting, C. 15,000-10,000 B.C. | Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1837 |
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| Antoni Gaudi, chimneys of Casa Mila, 1912 | Jonathan Adler ceramics, 2011 |
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| Leonardo da Vinci, 1499 | M. C. Escher, 1969 |
* The photograph of the Eskimo stool is from
Crossroads of Siberia and Alaska,
by William W. Fitzhugh and Aron Crowell.
* The photograph of Buckminster Fuller's Montreal Biosphere
is by Ryan Mallard
.
The Gaudi chimneys look like they in turn were derived from some primitive source. In that sense they remind me of a sewage treatment plant in Bali (Taiwan, not Indonesia) where the treatment towers were decorated with motifs from prehistoric art excavated in the vicinity.
ReplyDeleteAnother great selection, and yes you did surprise me with the Lascaux cave painting - I have never heard of Utagawa Kuniyoshi before, but good choice. Is the coffee table Scandanavian? it looks 1960s.
ReplyDeleteHello Mark, Fascinating subject. So glad you have decided to continue with this theme. I look forward to seeing more. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteGina
Hi, Parnassus - I agree that the Gaudi chimney designs have a very primitive look – I could easily see them as African masks upon long necks.
ReplyDeleteHi, Gina - I'm already working on the next installment, and of course the possibilities are endless!
ReplyDeleteHi, Rosemary - the coffee table comes from Magis Gallery, a Miami-based company that features a lot of retro furniture designs.
ReplyDeleteHello Mark:
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting pairings you delight us with here. Such fun to see compositions and designs reworked with centuries between them. Kuniyoshi iscompletely unknown to us so we shall investigate further.
Hello Jane and Lance: My example of Utagawa Kuniyoshi's work is a tame example. An apt description of his designs would be "fantastic," in every sense of the word! Looking at his blockprints, I am guessing that Kuniyoshi must have had a powerhouse personality.
ReplyDeleteAnother intriguing comparison post, Mark. I love these. Can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteThe Manet one is an eye opener.
The DaVinci comparisons also.
Hi, Yvette - The challenge for me will be to limit how many times I make comparisons to da Vinci, he was such a universal and modern man!
ReplyDeleteMark , another completely wonderful selection. In an oblique sort of way it reminds me of a series of paintings Picasso did with Goya's Infanta ? as inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHi, David - You make the exact point that I was trying to get across to my students. There was Picasso, the Cubist master, looking back through all of art history.
ReplyDeleteI am all over this post- You are a genius Mark Ruffner! Great comparisons!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Theresa. You made my day!
ReplyDeleteamazing post, i think you've chosen some great examples.
ReplyDeleteCostin M.
Thank you, Costin - I enjoyed looking at your style blog as well.
ReplyDeleteWell observed.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Scott.
ReplyDeleteMark this all so true. and by the way I love that you are teaching. I can't think of a teacher I would rather have. The Eskimo stool is a brilliant touch!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kevin! The teaching I referred to was in the distant past, but perhaps there are still some classes in the future — I'd love to teach art history!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post today. Thank You for sharing very intresting images......Julian
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Julian! More comparisons are under the same title in the sidebar ...
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting post. Puts "modern" narcissism in its place ( or it should).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Valerie - I often look at art from the distanct past (the work of El Greco, for example) and think that such artists would be very comfortable working in the present.
ReplyDelete